Lillian Green (December 22, 1919-April 14, 1954) was an American blues singer and songwriter. She was born in Mississippi but after the early deaths of her parents she went to Chicago, where she began performing in her teens and where she would make all of her recordings. Lil Green was noted for superb timing and a distinctively sinuous voice. In the 1930s she and Big Bill Broonzy had a night club act together. ...show more

Lillian Green (December 22, 1919-April 14, 1954) was an American blues singer and songwriter. She was born in Mississippi but after the early deaths of her parents she went to Chicago, where she began performing in her teens and where she would make all of her recordings. Lil Green was noted for superb timing and a distinctively sinuous voice. In the 1930s she and Big Bill Broonzy had a night club act together.

Her two biggest hits were her own composition "Romance in the Dark" (1940), later covered by Billie Holiday (actually different song with same title), and her version of Joe McCoy's "Why Don't You Do Right?" (1941) which was later covered by Peggy Lee. As well as performing in Chicago clubs, she toured with Tiny Bradshaw and other bands, but never really broke away from the black theatre circuit. Although she signed with Atlantic Records in 1951, she was already in poor health. She died in Chicago of pneumonia, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Gary, Indiana.. ...show less